Re g i o n a l cas e s tudy
A natural investment Large scale restoration of wildlife habitat can deliver strong economic benefits to rural Victoria Improve the environment Reduce emissions And provide rural job opportunities Solving the biodiversity crisis with carbon delivers economic opportunities Investment in large scale restoration of habitat can cover its cost by sale of carbon and maintain and diversify regional economic activity. This would enable potential payments to landholders for management of plantings and carbon storage, as well as the capacity to purchase land or secure access to land in perpetuity.
The problems Victoria’s natural environment and biodiversity are under serious stress. More than half our native vegetation has been cleared1, and 44% of our native plants and 30% of our native animals are threatened
“The time for business as usual is over and the need for action to stem ecological decline is urgent. Restoration needs to be statewide, broad-scale and well coordinated, with strong participation from both public and private sectors.” – Sir Gus Nossal or extinct2. Unfortunately, evidence shows that the condition of Victoria’s land and biodiversity is continuing to decline3,4. Four of the five most heavily cleared bioregions in Australia are in western Victoria4, which also has the highest number of threatened species per region5, so there is an urgent need for action. Climate change is adding to the pressures on our native species1 and is a major challenge on numerous other fronts.
Photo courtesy of Mark Coulson, 5th World Conference of Science Journalists
The Natural Investment Project – A Regional Development Case Study assessed the investment needed to deliver 255,000 hectares of plantings for biodiversity and carbon on private land over 30 years, the revenue returned from the sale of the carbon in these plantings, and the jobs that flow from this work. The study was commissioned by the Victoria Naturally Alliance and undertaken by URS economic consultants. The case study focuses on one section of the very large Habitat 141 landscape restoration project, which stretches from the outback to the ocean, straddling the 141st longitudinal line that is the border between Victoria and South Australia. The actual case study area encompasses the agricultural areas in Victoria that are south of the Big Desert, west of the Grampians, and south to the coast between Portland and the border.
A natural investment delivers • Major increases in wildlife habitat, reduction in threatened species, increase in ecological resilience. • Increase in ecosystem services. • Significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. • Diversified regional economies and strengthened rural communities. • Diversified income stream for landholders.
Below: Max Skeen was part of the initial planning for the Hindmarsh Landcare Network. Photo: David Fletcher